Spring Is Here
Exploring the mountain Ymittos
What are you thinking when you see the word Ymittos or as Wikipedia has it “Hymettos”? My mind travels back to ancient Greece, Byzantine monasteries and the spring of life. But let’s take a walk together and see what we can discover. Let’s start!
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| Greek:Υμηττός, romanised: Ymittós |
It's one of the most beautiful spots in Athens for hiking. Hymettus, in Greek:Υμηττός, romanised: Ymittós. It is a mountain range in the Athens area of Attiki, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as Trellós (crazy) or Trellóvouno (crazy mountain); the latter originates from the French "très long" (very long) in awe of its winding length of 16 km, as used by French travellers during the occupation of Greece by the Ottomans. Ymittos was assigned the status of a protected area in the EU’s Natura 2000 ecological network.
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| The view is like warm honey! |
Sometimes the best-kept secrets are hidden in plain sight. Mount Ymittos forms the natural eastern boundary of Athens. Here, the dense city grid suddenly gives way to a tree-covered slope dotted with monasteries. This is the ‘Aesthetic Forest of Kesariani,’ a protected nature reserve that is only a 15- to 20-minute cab ride from downtown Athens. In antiquity there was a sanctuary to Zeus with numerous offerings dating especially to the 8th-7th centuries BC; they are on the site of a military base and not currently accessible. There is also an ancient quarryman's hut on the western slopes of the mountain, one of two buildings in ancient Greece which preserves its roof.
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| Kaisariani Monastery |
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| Picture was taken with Nikon D500 |
It was founded in the 2nd century AD and built into the flank of the mountain, incorporating the ruins of an ancient church. The monastery reached its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries when it was a political and spiritual centre. we drive past Kaisariani cemetery and underneath the Ymittos ring road, before heading into the forest. Footpaths ascend to the left and right of the road; we choose the one on the left. The walk is shady and cool, even in the early summer heat, thanks to the forest of mainly pine and cypress trees. While dense, the tree trunks are quite thin; this is a young forest, the product of reforestation efforts by the Philodassiki Enosi Athinon (‘Friends of the Forest of Athens’), who replanted the slopes after they were almost completely denuded during World War II.
The €2 entrance fee is well worth it, even if only for a brief visit (the monastery is open daily throughout the year, except for Mondays, with the last entry at 2:30 pm). The flower-filled complex is relatively compact, with all of the things one expects to see in a Byzantine monastery (age-old frescoes, monks’ cells, kitchens and a refectory) as well as some rarer sights—namely the old domed bathhouse. With its hot and cold chambers, it must have been quite the luxury ticket in the middle ages.
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| You may see endangered animals along your ride! |
For me, this lack of tourism and development is part of the charm of this mountain; its one of my favorite places for hiking. Despite its proximity to the city, you feel off grid and in discovery mode (as opposed to on a signposted cattle-march, with the exit via the gift-shop). Keeping the city as a very visible landmark, it is difficult to get lost here—but easy to feel like it. You may see endangered animals along your hike or drive; needless to say, that wildlife should be protected at all costs. We should protect the ecosystem of the mountain, at all costs as in recent years wildfires in Greece have increased significantly, especially during summer months. So please be mindful, and cautious about the beauty around you.
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